Don't forget to wear your polarized eyewear!
Polarized lenses have become essential for us, Oregonians. Outdoor enthusiasts will begin to enjoy the beauty of nature in the Northwest even more with polarized lenses, which are known to provide clearer vision, comfort by reducing glare, and increasing contrast. Standard tints on most sunglasses only provide shade from sun, while polarized lenses protect our eyes from harmful UV rays that can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, and temporary vision loss.
Light reflected from surfaces such as a flat road or smooth water generally is horizontally polarized. This means that, instead of light being scattered in all directions in more usual ways, reflected light generally travels in a more horizontally oriented direction. This creates an annoying and sometimes dangerous intensity of light that we experience as glare.
Polarized sunglasses cut glare and haze so your eyes are more comfortable and you can see better. Polarized lenses contain a special filter that blocks this type of intense reflected light, reducing glare. Though polarized sunglasses improve comfort and visibility, you will encounter some instances when these lenses may not be advisable. One example is downhill skiing, where you don't want to block light reflecting off icy patches because this alerts skiers to hazards they are approaching. Light reflected from surfaces such as a flat road or smooth water generally is horizontally polarized.
Polarized lenses may reduce the visibility of images produced by liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or light-emitting diode displays (LEDs) found on the dashboards of some cars or in other places such as the digital screens on automatic teller machines and self-service gas pumps. You also may be unable to see your cell phone or GPS device. Boaters and pilots also have reported similar problems when viewing LCD displays on instrument panels, which can be a crucial issue when it comes to making split-second decisions based strictly on information displayed on a panel. (Some manufacturers of these devices have changed their products to solve the problem, but many have not yet done so.)
However, for most other sports and activities, polarized sunglasses offer great advantages. And today, many polarized lenses are available in combination with other features that can enhance outdoor experiences. Polarized bifocal sunglasses or progressive lenses are examples of options for the presbyope who also likes outdoor sports; plarized photochromic lenses, which change from dark outside to light inside, may be right for the light-sensitive person who frequently is in and out of the sun on any given day.
Whether you spend your time waterskiing or boating, in-line skating or mountain biking, driving or jogging, polarized sunglasses may be the right choice to help you enjoy your life outdoors!
Make sure to stop by and get your new summer shades, and help protect the health of your eyes with polarized lenses!
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